October 04, 2026 to October 10, 2026

This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements, and other government-related news concerning power generation and transmission, wind and solar, utilities, midstream companies, batteries and energy storage, LNG, biofuels, as well as nuclear. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track other GR news in adjacent industries? Don't miss this week's updates in Oil & Gas and Construction. Also consider subscribing to our Utilities & Power - Ottawa edition covering critical GR news north of the border.

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

Federal Government News

White House Proclaims National Energy Dominance Month

President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation naming October 2026 as National Energy Dominance Month. The proclamation emphasizes priorities such as reversing prior regulations, expanding federal lands for energy production, and investing in clean coal and nuclear energy. Key figures cited include saving over 100 coal plants and approving 6,000 drilling permits. The administration also announced a landmark oil deal with Venezuela, granting the U.S. majority control of over 65 billion barrels of proven reserves. The Ratepayer Protection Pledge and large investments in energy infrastructure projects were referenced as critical to improving affordability and employment in the sector.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

President Trump Announces Major Industrial and Energy Investments

President Trump detailed several investment initiatives across energy and manufacturing. Mesabi Metallics is set to construct a $15 billion steel complex in Iowa, producing 1,750 permanent jobs and $95 billion in economic output. A South Korean energy investment package includes $120 billion for nuclear plants, $54 billion for the Alaska LNG pipeline, and $22.3 billion allocated to a Texas gas power facility. The Department of Energy will fund $150 million for a 223-mile transmission line in Alaska. Becton Dickinson committed $19 billion for U.S. manufacturing, including $3 billion toward production of needles and essential products, while AstraZeneca pledged $1 billion for Massachusetts manufacturing under a new agreement.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

FERC Environmental Assessment Issued for Rockies Express Pipeline Critical Energy Reliability Link Project

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued the environmental assessment (EA) for the Critical Energy Reliability Link Project proposed by Rockies Express Pipeline LLC, Cheyenne Connector, LLC, and East Cheyenne Gas Storage, LLC. The project includes construction of approximately 153.8 miles of new 24-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline, compressor station, interconnect facilities, and appurtenant facilities across Colorado. Capacity will be leased on existing pipelines and storage facilities. FERC concluded that approval would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting environmental quality. Public comments are due by November 2, 2026.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

FERC Environmental Assessment Available for Northern Natural Gas Company Projects

FERC released the EA for the Ventura to Farmington A-Line Abandonment and Capacity Replacement Project and Northern Lights 2027 Expansion Project in Iowa and Minnesota. Northern Natural Gas Company seeks to abandon about 131 miles of mainline, construct multiple pipeline extensions totaling 29 miles, modify the Hugo compressor station, and undertake other facility upgrades. The project aims to replace lost capacity and provide an additional 79,303 Dth/day of firm service. The EA determined that the project would not significantly impact environmental quality. Comments are due by November 2, 2026.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

DOE Requests Comments on State Energy Program Information Collection Revision

The Department of Energy announced a request for comments regarding the proposed revision and extension of the State Energy Program information collection (OMB Control Number 1910-5126). The revision aims to collect data on activities, expenditures, and results funded with SEP grants, including appropriations under the Infrastructure and Jobs Act. The estimated annual burden is 12,056 hours at a cost of $1,002,456. Comments are due by November 5, 2026.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Data centers' 'flexible' power usage could save the grid billions. Can they scale?: Reuters reports on potential billion-dollar grid savings from scalable flexible power usage in data centers.
• South Africa to prioritise battery storage and gas-to-power projects, says energy minister: South African energy minister outlines battery storage and gas-to-power project priorities.
• COMMENTARY: Renewables help US power system survive summer stress test: U.S. power system resilience this summer attributed to expanded renewable generation.
• Indian states seek extra power to avoid outages as nighttime supply tightens, officials say: Indian states request additional power to avert nighttime outages amid tight supply conditions.
• Thousands of European wind and solar power systems exposed online, Dutch researchers say: Dutch research finds security vulnerabilities in European wind and solar power systems online.
• Spain, Portugal data centre boom spurs clean power, storage build: Major growth in data centers in Spain and Portugal is accelerating clean power and energy storage builds.
• Don't be stuck in the dark the next power outage. Save $280 or more on Bluetti: Portable power banks offer backup options during outages, with discounts highlighted in USA Today.

.